The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-27

STANLEY AS A TRAVELLER.
The Qualities Which Make His Exploits in
Africa Successful.


Africa Successful.
| New York Sun.
| The qualities that have made Henry M. Stan
| ley so successful as an African traveller have
been very conspicuous in his latest undertaking.
which is perhaps the most difficult enterprise he
has conducted. He has accomplished the feat
of leading $50 men, most of them heavily laden
with ammunition and other stores intended for
Emn Pasha, through $50 miles of famine
stricken country. He required five steamers to
carry his expedition to the Aruwini, but he
found only three steamboats, available and with
these inadequate resources he managed. by TAX
inc lot of barges in tow, to transport nearly
four-ifths of his party 500 miles up the river,
arriving at the Aruwimi a day two before
he was expected reach that point. The
sufferlngs of his expedition may be inferred
from the fact that the collapse of a number of
his men, who were unable to proceed, was due
solely to weakness resulting from their
scanty rations. When hunger drove his
tween Stanley Pool and Bolobo, Stanley put the
rebeIlious ringleaders in irons and his prompt
severity restored discipline and saved his expedi-
ton from the ruin that threatened it, Stanley
has not been very popular with most of the men
he has introduced on the Congo. With rare
captions he has not taken them into his conf
dence mingled with them terms Of per-
sonal intimacy. One of them, who served for
three years under him in important Positions
wrote that he rarely consulted his subordinates,
never confded his plans to them, aud that he
had lived for years with Stanley and still felt
that he did not know the man. ''If Mr.. Stanley
told me-" said Lieutenant Braconnier, 40 pack
my baggage ana be ready to start hour,
would not dream of asking him where
going. Hewould simply tell me my own duties
CURED all my attention" These very men. who
have not admired Stanley in his personal rela-
tons with his subordinates, have had great con-
fdence in his good judgment and ability a
leader. and some of them have expressed their
admiration Of his handling of the expedition now
in his charge
During the sea voyage to the Congo the Zanzi-
bar porters got into trouble with the sixty Sou
danese, whom they outnurnbered ten to one.
There a w.
Zanzibari mob, with clubs and frewood, were
driving the Soudanese down into a sitting place
between decks, when Stanley appeared the
scene with his stick, belabored all the frantic
porters within reach, drove them back and
quisted the tumut. One secret of his success is
the mastery Stanley has always possessed over
the hundreds of ignorant natives who have
helped him in his enterprises More than one
African expedition, like Lieut.. Girards, has
been ruined because its commander lacked the
quality of leadership and insubordnate attaches
got the uppsr-hand. On this occasion Stanley
assigned the poor Soudanese to part of the
vessel, within which ne forbade the Zanzibari
to intrude, and thereafter there perfect
peace among the different elements of the
party.
Before the big expedition debarked on the
Lower Congo to begin its land march the party
had been divided into companies of about seven
ty men. each of which was put in charge of one
of Stanley's European assistants. Each captain
had his distinctive flag and received every mori
ing the orders of the dav. The chiefs of several
OF the Congo stations have expressed their nd-
miratlon of the perfect order and system with
which every movement OF the party
Quoted. Officers at Leopoldville have said that
when q steamer is about to leave that port one
would think a huge Atlantic liner was taking
her departure. Stanley's command. however,
marched in detachments to the waiting fleet,
took the position assigned them in the most per-
feet order. and were on their way up the river
before half OF Leopoloville knew they had
broken camp. The departure OF the steamers"
writes a member of the Sanford expedi-
ton. was quite sight Everything
went with the smooth exactitude of n |
machine and not hitch of any kind occurred" |
The surprise to which Stanley treated Leopold |
vile upon his arrival at that place was quite |
of the man. The sleepy settle |
ment had hardly woke up one day when it was |
astonished to that some distance below the |
town score of tents had been reared and /